Lighting device for sewing machines



Sept. 23 1924. 1,509,502

F. DIEHL Y LIGHTING DEVICE FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Jan. 23 1922 2Sheets-Shggt l WITNESSES: INVENTOR AITORNEY F. DIEHL LIGHTING DEVICE FORSEWING MACHINES Sheets-Shoot 2 v WITNESSES:

INVENTOR TTORNEY Patentedsept. 23, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FBEDERICK DIEHL, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR TO THE SINGER MANU-FACTURING COMPANY, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEWJERSEY.

LIGHTING DEVICE FOR SEWING MACHINES.

Application filed January 23, 1922. Serial No. 531,029.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK DIEHL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Elizabeth. in the county of-Union and State of New Jersey,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Lighting Devicesfor Sewing Machines, of which the following is a specification,reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

Electric lighting devices for sewing machines, particularly when appliedto machines operating at high speed, are subjected to a type ofvibration which has a tendency to shorten the life of the lampfilaments. The vibration of the machine frame is of small amplitude butis sometimes of a severe, sharp, or jarring character, in the nature ofa rapid succession of hammer blows. While, by mounting the lightingdevice adjacent the bend of the sewing machine gooseneck, thedestructive effect of this vibration on the lamp-filament issufficiently reduced to permit the attainment of a satisfactory life bylamp-bulbs having filaments of the more rugged types, such as carbon orthe metalized filaments, it is an object of the present invention tofurther reduce the vibration transmitted to the lamp-filament, or softenits character, in order that a satisfactory life may be attained bylamps having filaments of the more delicate types, such as tungstenfilaments.

Another object of the invention is to reduce the vibration of thelamp-filament in a sewing machine lighting device retaining theadvantages of the constructions disclosed in the copending applicationsof Frederick Diehl, Serial No. 449,968, filed March 5, 1921, and SerialNo. 453,786, filed March 19, 1921, among which advantages may bementioned the ease with which the device may be applied to the machine;its effective illumination of the work; its neat and attractiveappearance; the absence of objectionable shadows on the work; thefreedom from objectionable heat and glare and the freedom frominterference with the dropping of the sewing machine head within thecavity of the usual drop-head cabinet, or with the placing over themachine of the cover of the usual hand-carrying case.

Tp the attainment of the ends in view, a cushioning device is interposedbetween the horizontally disposed lamp.-socket, which carries thelamp-bulb and reflector, and the sewing machine gooseneck. Thecushioning .device should be of compact or condensed form so that thelamp socket may be sustained closely adjacent the point of connection ofthe device to the gooseneck. In the embodiment of the inventionillustrated, the cushioning device is in the form of a spring which maybe plaited to reduce it to a condensed or compacted form. Thelamp-socket may be secured in a horizontal position to one end of theplaited spring which may be secured at its other end to a support rigidwith the sewing machine frame. The spring is preferably made from astrip of spring steel plaited or folded back-and-forth upon itself toreduce its length without a sacrifice of spring action and thus permitthe lamp to be located close to its support and between the standard orvertical member of the gooseneck and the needle-bar head at the free endof the gooseneck, whereby the light may fall obliquely upon the workfrom a position closely in rear of the middle portion of the overhangingarm, as provided for in said Diehl copending applications. The plies orparallel sections of the plaited spring are preferably apertured toadmit the conductor-cord. The reflector may be weighted, if desired, toincrease the inertia of the floating parts and still further steady thedevice.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of thelighting device as applied to a portable sewing machine. Fig. 2 is afragmentary top plan view of the attachment shown in Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is arear side elevation of the attachment. Fig. 4 is an end view.- Fig. 5 isa vertical section on an enlarged scale. Fig. 6 is a similar view withcertain parts shown in Fig. 5 omitted. Fig. 6 is a section on the line66, Fig. 6. Fig. 7 is a top plan view of the invention embodying amodified form of support. Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view of thedevice shown in Fig. 7. Fig. 9 is a transverse vertical section one theline 9-9, Fig. 7, and Fig. 10 is a detail view of the free end of thesupport.

In the accompanying drawings, a sewing machine head of usualconstruction is illustrated in Fig. 1 as mounted upon a portable base 1.The sewing machine frame comprises a flat-bed 2 from which rises thehollow gooseneck or bracket-arm including the standard 3 and horizontalmember or overhanging arm 3' terminating in the head 4 in which areslidably mounted the usual preser-bar 5 and recpirocating needle-bar 6carrying, respectively, the resser-foot 7 and needle 8. Cooperatingwitthe presser-foot 7 to feed the work is the usual feed-dog 9. The needle8 cooperates with the usual looptaker below the bed 2 to form stitches.Machines of this type are usually driven by a suitable motor attachmentwhich has been omitted from the illustration since it forms no part ofthe present invention. The sewing machine may, of course, be supportedand driven in any desired manner.

The hollow gooseneck or bracket-arm 3, 3' of a sewing machine of thetype referred to, is usually provided with an opening 10 affordingaccess to the working parts mounted within the arm. Thisopening iscustomarily located at the rearward side of the gooseneck, substantiallyat the bend of the latter.

The present lighting device, in the form shown in Figs. 1 to 6,inclusive, comprises a support in the form of a cover-plate 11 shaped toclose the opening 10 and formed with an upper screw-hole to admit theusual cover-plate thumb-screw 12. The coverplate 11 is preferably formedwith a projection in the form of an integral ear 13 bent rearwardly soas to stand in a vertical plane transverse to the plane of the plate 11proper. Secured to the ear 13, as b screws 14, are the parallel plies 15and 16 o a cantilever sprin 17 of compact form, preferably constructfrom a. strip of spring steel bent back and forth on itself or plaitedto form a series of parallel plies, to the end ply 18 of which issecured the lamp-socket 19. Theend ply 18 is preferably apertured toadmit the nipple 20 which is screwed into the socket .19 and is formedwith a head 21 which clamps the end ply 18 tightly against the end ofthe socket 19. The remaining plies of the spring are preferablyapertured to freely admit the conductor-cord 22 which passes through thespring 17 without bindmg or rubbing against the plies of the latter. Aninsulating bushing 23 is preferably fitted to the ear 13 and the lies 15and 16 which are rigidly connecte Cushioning washers 24 of felt or othersuitable material may be interposed between the plies of the spring 17to damp the relativel slow periodic vibration of the lamp whic may beoccasioned by contact of the operator s hand therewith, as in turningthe ight on or oil. The use of the damping expedient or washers is notessential, however, and they may be omitted, as illustrated in Fig. 6.

The transverse or horizontal resiliencyof the spring 17 may be augmentedby reducingthe lengths of the fold lines between the to such ear.

parallel plies, as by cutting away the ends of such folds at 17'.

The socket 19 receives the lamp-bulb 25, preferabl of the tubular orcylindrical type, anc supports a suitable reflector 26 which may beweighted, as at 27, to increase the inertia of the floating parts.

The cover-plate 11 may be formed with a lug 11' adapted to externallyengage the rim of the aperture 10 and prevent sagging of the lamp andcover-plate.

In the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 7 to 10, inclusive,the lighting device includes a support 28 in the form of an elbow whichis preferably fixed within an apertured boss 29 adjacent the bend at thejuncture of the standard 30 and overhanging arm 30 of the gooseneck of amachine of the type disclosed in the patent to Dosch et al., No.1,311,114 and embodying a builtin motor 31 having its shaft 32 arrangedtransversely of and geared to the main-shaft 33 of the machine. The freeend of the elhow 28 is slotted at 34 to receive the forked end ply 35 ofa spring 36 of condensed form, the construction-being otherwisesubstantially the same as the spring 17 previously described. The screw37 serves to secure the end ply of the spring in the slot 34 of theelbow support. The socket 19 and associated parts may be secured to thefree end of the spring 36 in the same manner as they are secured to thespring 18; such spring operating to secure substantially the sameresults whether carried by the cover-plate 11 or the elbow 28.

It will be observed that by the means described the lamp is yieldinglysupported by a compact cushioning connection with the sewing machinegooseneck adjacent the bend of the latter and is not displaced from itshorizontal position closely in rear of and alongside the horizontal armmember of the goseneck and between the needle-bar head and the verticalmember of the gooseneck. Thus, the advantages flowing from the novelposition of the lamp, disclosed in said copending applications, areretained and vibration is reduced to the vanishing point b retaining thesupporting connection wit the sewing machine frame adjacent the bend ofthe gooseneck and by introducing a cushioning or yielding connectionbetween the lamp-socket and its support. The light from the lamp 25 willthus-fall-obliquely upon the work from the operators right and willilluminate that edge of the presserfoot relative to which the edge ofthe work is customarily guided.

The described disposition of the light avoids thecasting ofobjectionable shadows upon the work by machine parts carried by or,forming a part of the sewing machine bracket-arm. The lamp will not besub-- jected to the pounding vibration of the sewing machine as thecushioning device interposed between the lamp-socket 19 and the sewingmachine frame will absorb or soften the character of such vibration thuspermitting the attainment of a satisfactory life by lamps havingfilaments of the more delicate types, such as tungsten. The compact formof the cushioning device is such that it is not necessary to space thesocket a material distance from the. point of support of the device onthe sewing machine frame. The favorable location of the lamp inpermanent working relation with the bracketarm and within the verticalplanes defined by the side and end ed es of the sewin machine bed maythus he retained an the lighting attachment will not interfere with thedropping of the head within the cavity of the usual drop-head cabinet orwith the placing of the cover of a hand-carrying case over the sewinghead.

The lighting device may, of course, be applied to sewing machines havingframes of any of the usual forms.

Having thus set forth the nature of the invention,,what I claim herein.is-

1. A sewing machine lighting device comprising a support adapted forattachment to a sewing machine gooseneck, a plaited spring secured atone' end to said support, and an electric lamp-socket carried hori-Hector.

zontally at the other end of said plaited spring closely adjacent saidsup ort.

2. sewing machine lighting d eVice com-- prising a support adapted forattachment to a sewing machine gooseneck, a plaited spring secured atone end t6 said support, and an electric lamp-socket carriedhorizontally at the other end of said plaited spring closely adjacentsaid support, the width of the spring being reduced at the fold lines.,

3. A sewing machine lighting device coniprising a support adapted forattachment to a sewing machine gooseneck, a plaited spring secured atone end to said support, an electric lamp-socket carried horizontally atthe other end of said plaited spring closely adjacent said support, anddampin means interposed between the plies of sai plaited spring.

4:. A sewing machine lighting device comprising a support adapted forattachment to a sewing machine gooseneck, a spring de- .vice connectedto said support, a horizontally disposed lamp-socket, reflector and lampcarried by said spring device and a weight carried at the free end ofsaid re- In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to thisspecification. 4

FREDERICK DIEHL'.

